Iran urges citizens to delete WhatsApp over national security concerns

TEHRAN: The Iranian government has urged its citizens to remove WhatsApp from their mobile devices, confirmed by Iranian state television.

On Tuesday noon Iranian State Television urged people to remove Whatsapp from their devices, alleging without specific evidence that the messaging app gathered users information to share with Israel.

This measure is being taken because these platforms are allegedly sharing user data with Israel, which Iran strongly opposes. However, no evidence has been presented to support these claims.

However, WhatsApp has rejected these allegations as false and unfounded. The company clarified that it uses end-to-end encryption, meaning only the sender and recipient can read the messages, and no third party or company can access their contents.

WhatsApp further stated that, it does not track users’ locations nor does it collect personal data, and it does not provide any information to governments.

History of Social Media Bans in Iran

Iran has a history of imposing restrictions on social media at various times. In 2022, during protests against the government following the death of a young woman, bans were placed on WhatsApp and Google Play.

These restrictions were later lifted. WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram have remained among the most widely used apps in Iran, especially for political and social activities.

This move is part of Iran’s broader effort to tighten control over social media and monitor online activity. However, it has raised concerns among users and international organizations about potential impacts on freedom of expression and access to information.